Date bars

These sticky sweet date bars are superb as run fuel, or for your lunch. I often eat them while on the move or mid-afternoon if I’m going for an evening run. Very easy to bake.

The oats are a fantastic source of slow release energy. Baked like this with butter and pureed fruit, they are very easy to digest. Tasty, sticky, energy – what more could you want when you’re on a long run or just filling a gap? Recipe was taken from the Rachel Allen ‘Bake’ book.

Ingredients:

Makes about 12 date bars

200g dates (stoned weight), chopped

175g plain flour

175g light brown sugar (demerara I find best)

100g porridge oats

175g butter (unsalted), diced

250ml water

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

pinch of salt

20cm x 20cm square cake tin

To vary this recipe you could easily add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. It really complements the dates.

Method:

Prep 10 mins, Cooking time 40 mins

Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), Gas mark 4.

Butter the sides of your cake tin, then line with greaseproof paper.

Pour the water into a medium sized pan. Add the chopped dates and bring to a simmer.

Remove from the heat, dish the pureed dates onto a plate and allow to cool to room temperature.

While that is cooling, prepare the rest of your recipe…

Sift the plain flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.

Add the oats, sugar, salt and mix well.

Add the butter several dices at a time. Rub them in to the dry mixture, add the rest of the diced butter until moist clumps form.

Press half of the oat mixture evenly over the base of the prepared cake tin.

Spread the pureed dates over this.

Sprinkle over that with the remaining oat mixture.

Press gently with your hand or a wooden spoon to roughly flatten the top.

Bake in the oven for around 40 minutes – or until the bars are golden brown on the edges and set in the centre.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin. (This can take anything from 30-90 mins.)

Cut into bar portions and serve or store.

To store: Seal in an airtight box for up to a week. They can also be frozen in tinfoil and are very nice indeed defrosted.

These really are an excellent food to eat while out running or as a snack some time before you head out.

Benefits:

Oats:

Oats help to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Excellent for stabilizing blood sugar – which is also why they can be so good as a running fuel. High in fibre and antioxidants.

Dates:

Dates are one of the very best ingredients for muscle development. They are very effective in a whole variety of ways including: help with abdominal conditions, anemia, constipation, diarrhea, intestinal disorders, heart problems.

Rich in fibre, minerals and vitamins B and K. Superb for all round health due to containing calcium, iron, magnesium, oil, potassium and much more. Overall, very effective for a balanced and healthy diet.